Ten days ago, during the Donnie Smith Bike Show, groups of teenagers belonging to several high schools were competing with their new builds, both to get acknowledgment from their pro peers present at the show and to win some trophy gold offered by IronWorks Magazine. In the Chopper Class Challenge competing with their bike named “Betty” featured here, the Canadian BMHS team (Bernice MacNaughton High School) led by teacher Marc Mazerolle won the 2 top honors: American IronWorks Overall Winner and American IronWorks Technical Merit Award. Since these teenagers are our future and read this Blog, maybe a few words of congratulations and encouragements in the comments section could be their best motivation for an even more creative next project.

29 Responses to “Teens At Work.”

AWESOME! CONGRATS! One of the other winners was from our backyard. Eden High School, my leather guy helps you guys out County Seats. Again Congrats. Call on us if you need a donation in the future. South Side Kustoms would be happy to help out.

Mark and team. I want to personally congratulate you on a beautiful bike. Really great work. Unfortunately we were not able to get together on this build, but I would like to contribute to your next build. Contact me at your convenience.

It’s so heartening to see companies such as Brass Balls and South Side offer help to these high school teams on their future projects. These teenagers could be your future employees and customers. Mark and the other teachers would no doubt credit dozens of other companies who have pitched in to turn dreams into reality for their students.
I’d like to mention another team that has competed in the Chopper Class Challenge for several years, the one from Clearfield, PA, Clearfield County Career & Technical Center. They took the Design Innovation Award at Donnie’s show this year due to their ingenuity in producing a fine looking bike from parts and pieces many builders wouldn’t have looked at twice. I’d say they worked on a shoestring budget but that would be an exaggeration. As I understand it, the rest of the teams have vowed to offer Clearfield extra help – apparently, rural Pennsylvania isn’t flush with motorcycle businesses that can offer much input. If anyone wants to get in touch with that program’s teacher Dan Kerlin, let me know. Sam Kanish, aka the IW Blogger, posted some info on them shortly before Donnie’s show as well.

And Cyril, as much as I appreciate your credit to IronWorks (and I do!) you can leave off the “American” part next time (smile).

It is great to see these youngsters building cool bikes and no matter what their budget or their tastes, the end result is they learn and enjoy from their experiences. And on the flip side we get to see some cool bikes. It’s memories these guys will carry with them for the rest of their lives.
If any schools would like a Kiwi leaf spring front end please feel free to just sing out.
Keep up the great work guys, you are all our future.

Having been a part of sponsoring many of these builds across the country, Avon Tyres is proud to be part of this “youth” movement. Their builds were great but to meet and talk with these young men and women makes our involvement with these programs even more rewarding. To all the instructors across this great country of ours and the builders from Canada and their instructors, we here at Avohn just want to say welcome to our world of two wheels and I hope you remain in the industry. To you all….ride safe!!

Checkered flag for the mechanics of McNaughton High 🙂
We were glad to see that you used an easy-fit-easy-go Evo style motor for your sled and we all look forward to your next build.
Please do not try to install a V-Twin® replica Pan motor (VT 10-1995) in your next build, as these motors have what is know as a “manual timer” and a cast iron oil pump. There’s simply too many parts and maintenance requirements for young minds to comprehend. Even though that replica Pan motor is only $4,495.50 (dealer), it does not include an intake manifold – and you would end up buying the motor, stripping it down to the flywheels, documenting any and all discrepancies and putting it all back together the McNaughton way. Ditto for the replica 4-spd. transmission (VT 17-0026) which is only $1,450.00 (dealer).
The Pan motor with spigot exhaust ports and 4-spd tranny are better left to the old guys to work with. Our “old brains” are wrinkled and retain information. A youngster’s brain is as smooth as shoe leather and information just slips right off. Team spirit will not get you through to completion – on a Panhead. And a youngster trying to build a Knucklehead is out of the question. There are 210 individual parts to a 1938 Knuckle head. Don’t go there.
Nice work on your machine. Stay away from the old iron though, it will break you mentally.
More Evo – Less Evil.

Kirk, Kirk, never underestimate the ability of youth to learn and adapt and never discourage them from venchering out. You and they may be better served if you presented from the standpoint of your expierences/lessons learned as to possible pitfalls and/or if you go this route on your next build consider looking out for these concerns and try these fixes.

This negative posture serves no one unless you have a bone to pick with a product or builder and that is usually self serving, there is too much of that in these blogs and this industry. Look at the picture of these guys and gals not an attitude or ego in the group. Always like to see the youth upandcoming and excelling. The only thing they need to do is listen a bit to all the good and the bad then weed out the bad and they are bright enough to do that well. Who knows they may make the old stuff better.
Grayhawk

Maybe someone in the production companies should take note of this and look at producing a TV show similar to Drag Race High series except building motorcycles instead of cars and competing against other High Schools ….. Hugh are you listening?

jeff i have an executive summary written for chopper high and have had it before the execs, at speed, (disney/mtv) and no interest..dont know anybody at spike. if anyone has an inside for spike t.v. call me at the shop or email me..thanks. and so far everybody doesnt want another build show..but mines different with bonus time for academics and custom builders making special appearances to help out and its a bidding system that anyone can afford with a charity/high school fund split..simple production..simple to follow..on line bidding and online advertisers..its a homerun anyone can understand it…except the people who control the pilot funding..and advertising execs who say they cant sell ad time for the show

You are coming at this from the wrong angle …. Spike, Discovery etc normally do not produce their own shows. You need to approach the production companies who sell the shows to the networks …. Pilgram Productions (remember the name Hugh King?) made all of the Biker Build Off series, Motorcycle mania etc. head to thoise guys and it wouldn’t hurt before you get there to round up a major sponsor for the show …. without that you are basically pissing in the wind.

jeff, thats the problem right now sponsors..i have competed on “pinks” and the exec. producers liked my style so we shot a pilot out of pocket and now they cant sell it to the advertisers…their money has dried up also..and i am so wet from pissing in the wind for 15 years im going to start to wear a raincoat when someone approaches me about t.v. stuff. thanks..at least my bike shop is going well..

Just to clairify, the motor we used in our build was built, tested and donated by Gerry Merchant at Merch Motors. I spoke with Greg at Merch the other day and they are very proud and happy about our win. The motor is a 114 Fatso, very powerful, very loud, like we like it and runs great.

I love seeing it when kids do this kind of stuff. I remember to this day 14 years ago when my dad started Desperado. We have pictures of me in the shop with Jeans, boots and a workshirt on brooming the floor. The broom was about 2 times as tall as me ofcourse but I have since then grown to about 6-3 lol. I remember my first bike and seeing it in Street Chopper. No it wasnt a high class custom but it was awesome to know that at 16 it is possible to compete with the “elders”.

Keep up with this, every one of you guys/gals obviously has a talent somewhere and used it to create this bike.

CBBO is proud! CANADIAN BIKER BUILD OFF featured the Bernice MacNaughton High School group led by teacher Marc Mazerolle during CBBO’s 2007 Show. The winning bobber was not quite what it is today but it garnered alot of attention by guests and media. Builders on-hand that year also enthusiastically offered advice and parts to help the cause. Everyone’s efforts to make this a reality for Marc and his Team are to be congratulated. CBBO looks forward to welcoming the Bernice MacNaughton High School group back with their new build.

OKAY……. I see that some of you want to contribute to kids in chopper classes. Well, this all started, I believe, at Kennedy High ScHool with Teach in Bloomington, Mn. This year I donated a springer to his class, Baker donated a drivetrain, Pearson built a frame, and Harley donated a motor and trans (believe it or not). He’s still short of parts to finish this build (which he hopes to showcase in Sturgis), so, if any of you feel so inclined to help out, contact Teach. In the past, they have also won the competition at Donnie’s show. The school has no funds for the class, so it’s held after school and relies totally on donations. They have to sell the bikes to fund the coming year to keep the class going and Teach donates his time as the instructor. Well………………..??????? Anyone care to step up?????